What is it?
An intestinal condition that increase with age where small pouches (diverticula)are formed.
The formation of diverticula is thought to be linked to a low intake of fibre in the diet, which then may a person to prolonged colonic transit (stools moving slowly in the intestines), increased water resorption (water leaves the intestine and moves to circulation) and reduced stool bulk (small stools and hard stools)—all of which can increase pressure on the colon.
Diverticulitis
- Small inflamed (hot, red and swollen) painful pouches (Diverticula) that appear like lumps that stick out at the side of large intestine (colon).
- This is caused because stools enter these pouches and bad bacteria breed in these pouches.
- The split is caused when a hard stool gets stuck in the colon and allows bacteria to multiply and spread causing infection and inflammation (hot , red and swelling in parts of the large intestine).
- The colon can split causing a severe infection (Peritonitis).
- These pouches can vary in number from a single diverticulum to hundreds.
Diverticular disease
- When these pouches/lumps (Diverticula) are formed but are not inflamed or causing an infection.
Both conditions are very common
- Diverticula generally occur in the colon, which is part of the large intestine mainly in sigmoid part of the colon (large intestine that is connected to the rectum).
- The sigmoid colon is located on the left side of the abdomen, which is why diverticulitis is often associated with abdominal pain on that side.
Cause
- As one gets older
- Weak points in the colon (large intestine) muscles forming lumps/pouches
- may be an imbalance of bacterial flora leading to diverticulitis (drinking good bacteria yogurts/live yogurts may help)
- Poor diet: high sugar and low fibre diet- however this is debatable (One needs to increase their fibre intake if suitable)
- High alcohol consumer
- Smoking
- Overweight or obese
- Lack of exercise
- High red meat consumption
- Family history
- History of constipation conditions
Syndromes
Medication
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain and/or are constant violently vomiting or vomiting longer than two days (one day if a child)- mainly on the left hand side, In Asians pain moves to lower right hand side of abdomen)?
- High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats longer than 72 hours?
- Increase thirst, heavy sweating and need to urinate frequently?
- Pain when urinating?
- Change in bowel greater than three weeks i.e. going to the toilet more often or less often than usual?
- Nausea feeling?
- Constipation and sometimes diarrhoea?
- Rectal bleeding?
Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:
Medical Emergency Condition
And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:
This condition can lead to:
Small fistulas don’t usually cause symptoms. However, larger fistulas can become infected and cause symptoms, such as:
- Constant, throbbing pain?
- High temperature (fever) of 38C (100F) or above?
- Blood or pus in your stools?
- Foul smelling leakage of stools or mucus into your underwear?
During an Attack
- Consider a liquid diet without fibre (this will reduce the amount of undigested food passing through the bowels so that you make smaller amounts of stool).
- Keep hydrated
- As one start to feel better, you can begin introducing low-fiber foods into your diet one needs fibre to push food through gently but at the same time not make ones diverticulitis/diverticular disease worst).
After Recovery
- Gradually adding fibre back into your diet to normalize your bowel movements and avoid constipation.
This condition may show similar symptoms to:
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Diverticulitis and Diverticular Disease in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
- NHS
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- Medscape
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- Pharmaceutical Journal
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- Healthline
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- Medical News Today
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- WebMD
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- Cleveland Clinic
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- Mayo Clinic
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- Drugs.com
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- National Organisation of Rare Diseases
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- Verywell Health
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